Saxophone

ABSTRACT

A saxophone has a key having an integral first lever extending outwardly therefrom, and is pivotally mounted at an end remote from the key. A stop, disposed on a side of the saxophone opposite the key, has an integral second lever extending in a direction opposite the first lever and is pivotally mounted at an end remote from said stop. A third lever, coaxially mounted and commonly actuated with the second lever has an end portion juxtaposed the key. The key engages the third lever in operation to pivot the second lever to actuate the stop.

nite States Patent [191 Earree Feb. 4, 1975 SAXOPHONE [75] Inventor: Robert V, Carree, Mantes-la-Ville,

France [73] Assignee: Buffet Crampon, Paris, France [22] Filed: June 18, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 370,858

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 12, 1973 France 73.13241 [52] [1.5. CI. 84/385 [51] Int. Cl. Gl0d 7/08 [58] Field of Search 84/380, 382, 384, 385

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,683,219 9/1928 Waters 84/385 1,716,929 6/1929 Packman 84/385 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,231,858 4/1960 France 84/385 Primary ExaminerRichard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-John F. Gonzales Attorney, Agent, or FirmRobert E. Burns; Emmanuel J. Lobato; Bruce L. Adams [57] ABSTRACT A saxophone has a key having an integral first lever extending outwardly therefrom, and is pivotally mounted at an end remote from the key. A stop, disposed on a side of the saxophone opposite the key, has an integral second lever extending in a direction opposite the first lever and is pivotally mounted at an end remote from said stop. A third lever, coaxially mounted and commonly actuated with the second lever has an end portion juxtaposed the key. The key engages the third lever in operation to pivot the second lever to actuate the stop.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED FEB 4 I 75 SHEET 10? 2 PATEHTEU FEB W5 SHEET 2 OF 2 SAXOPHONE BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE A saxophone comprises a conical tube or body with lateral holes. Shutters or stops carried by levers are applied over these holes. Each lever is actuated by applying pressure to a key or to a spatula.

The D, E, F and low F-sharp keys and the high F- sharp spatula are controlled by the same hand of the saxophonist. They are arranged close to one another.

The D, E and F stops and levers extend to the right of their key as seen from the front of the instrument. The low F-sharp stop, of large diameter like the D, E and F stops, is situated in the same part of the body of the saxophone as the D, E and F stops. Like its lever, however, it is situated to the left of its key because there is no longer enough space to accommodate it on the right. The high F-sharp stop is located at the beginning of the body. A long linkage which extends into the vicinity of the mouthpiece connects it to the high F- sharp spatula and to the lever thereof. Since the righthand part of the body is occupied by stops, levers, rods and spatulas, the linkage and the lever for the high F- sharp spatula have to pass and extend over the lefthand part of the saxophone, i.e., to the left of their spatula.

This system of distribution has one disadvantage. The saxophonist operates the D, E and F stops by moving the finger towards the left which pivots the key about its axis in an anticlockwise direction. He operates the inflected F's by a movement to the right in the opposite direction. It would be desirable to eliminate this duality of movement which is the source of errors caused by delay or hesitation.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION By virtue of the present invention, it is possible to standardise the direction in which two spatulas are actuated even if the pivoting axis of one of them is situated on one side (on its left) and if the lever or stop as sociated with the other extends towards the opposite side (to the right) thereof.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the saxophone according to the invention comprising a key whose lever extends to its left and an adjacent key mounted to pivot about an axis situated on its right, the key is in contact with its lever and is mounted on a counterlever pivoting about an axis situated on its right.

By separating the lever from the key, the direction in which the key pivots can be reversed even in cases where little space is available on the body, because the counterlever can be pivotally connected to a narrow, short rod which is not extended either by a largediameter stop or by a long linkage system. The low F- sharp stop remains in place. The linkage of the high F- sharp always extends in the free right-hand parts of the body. The levers of the inflected Fs retain all their functions except that they no longer have to support the keys and spatulas which determined the direction of rotation thereof.

The movement of the key is facilitated when the end contact zone of the lever is bevelled. The lever can be in contact both with the spatula and with the counterlever, advantageously through a transverse tab on the counterlever. The counterlever can be fixed to the key through a transverse tab.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings, given solely by way of example:

FIG. 1 is a partial elevation of the saxophone according to the invention.

FIG. 2, 3 and 5 are sections on the lines Il-Il (excluding the key 15), III--lII and V-V, respectively, of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4 and 6 are views corresponding to FIGS. 3 and 5, respectively, after the saxophonist has pressed the F-sharp key or spatula.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT The saxophone illustrated consists of a conical body 1, its mouthpiece being situated towards the top of FIG. I.

The D, E and F stops 2 carry keys 3 and are fixed to levers 4 fixed to a rod 5. The rod 5 is mounted for rotation in bearings 6 carried by supports 7 fixed to the body 1.

The levers 4 extend to the right of thestops 2. The stops 2 pivot about the rod 5 in an anticlockwise direction when pressure is applied to the keys 3 in the direction of the arrows shown in FIG. 2.

The low F-sharp stop 8 is almost in a diametrically opposite position to one of the stops 2. It is carried by a lever 9 integral with a rod 10 which is mounted for rotation in ball bearings 11 carried by supports welded to the body I. A lever 12 is integral with the rod 10. Its upper end face 13 is bevelled. It is in contact with a tab 14 integral with the low F-sharp key 15 and a counterlever 16.

The rod 10 and the lever 12 are situated to the left of the key 15. If the key 15 were mounted to pivot about the rod 10, it would pivot in a clockwise direction when actuated in the direction of the arrows shown in FIG. 2.

However, the key 15 is integral with the counterlever 16. The counterlever 16 is fixed to a rod 17 mounted to rotate freely in bearings 18 carried by supports. The rod 17 is situated to the right of the key 15. By pressing it in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 2, it is pivoted in an anticlockwise direction, i.e., in the same direction as the keys 3.

The high F-sharp stop 19 is situated at the top of the body. It is carried by a lever 20 integral with a linkage 21 mounted to rotate freely on bearings 22 and connected by a fork-and-pin coupling C to another linkage 21B mounted to rotate freely on bearings 228. A lever 23 is integral with the linkage 228. Its upper face 24 is bevelled. It rests under the high F-sharp spatula 25.

The linkage 21 and the lever 23 are arranged to the left of the spatula 25. If the spatula were to be fixed to the lever 23, it would rotate in a clockwise direction when subjected to a pressure applied in the direction of the arrow shown in the Figure.

However, the spatula 25 is carried by a counterlever 26 mounted on the rod 17 in the same way as the counterlever 16. By applying pressure to it, it is made to pivot in an anticlockwise direction, i.e., in the same way as the keys 3.

I claim:

1. A saxophone having a plurality of stops actuated by keys wherein the improvement comprises, a key disposed on a side of a saxophone having an integral first lever extending outwardly from said key, first mounting means for pivotally mounting said first lever at an end remote from said key, a stop having an integral second lever disposed on a side of a saxophone opposite said key, said second lever extending in a direction opposite the direction of said first lever. and second mounting means for pivotally mounting said second lever at an end opposite said stop, said second mounting means comprising a third lever coaxially mounted and commonly actuated with said second lever and extending in a common direction with said first lever and having an end portion remote from said second mounting means juxtaposed relative to said key, said key engaging said third lever in operation to pivot said second lever to actuate said stop.

2. A saxophone according to claim 1, wherein said end portion of said third lever juxtaposed said key is beveled.

3. A saxophone according to claim I, wherein said key is a low F-sharp key. 

1. A saxophone having a plurality of stops actuated by keys wherein the improvement comprises, a key disposed on a side of a saxophone having an integral first lever extending outwardly from said key, first mounting means for pivotally mounting said first lever at an end remote from said key, a stop having an integral second lever disposed on a side of a saxophone opposite said key, said second lever extending in a direction opposite the direction of said first lever, and second mounting means for pivotally mounting said second lever at an end opposite said stop, said second mounting means comprising a third lever coaxially mounted and commonly actuated with said second lever and extending in a common direction with said first lever and having an end portion remote from said second moUnting means juxtaposed relative to said key, said key engaging said third lever in operation to pivot said second lever to actuate said stop.
 2. A saxophone according to claim 1, wherein said end portion of said third lever juxtaposed said key is beveled.
 3. A saxophone according to claim 1, wherein said end portion of said third lever juxtaposed said key has a tab for engaging said key.
 4. A saxaphone according to claim 1, comprising a tab on said key for engaging said end portion of said third lever juxtaposed relative to said key.
 5. A saxophone according to claim 1, wherein said key is a low F-sharp key. 